As I read the article that announced that children under the age of 12 would no longer be allowed to be in the Boulder public libraries without their parent, I found myself enveloped by great sadness.

The Carnegie Library was one of my favorite places when I was a child in Boulder. I know that the many times I visited it on my own before the age of 12 that I did not create a problem nor was I in any danger.

My parents were anything but not protective, but they felt comfortable in letting me take the bus or walk from our place on north Broadway to the library. By the age of 10 I had exhausted the children's section on horses and had moved on to the adult section, which then introduced me not only to more on horses, but Native Americans and all that they had both endured and given to our culture.

I know that recent events make all concerned about safety but this policy seems to push the trend that concerns me, which is to hold children back from a natural maturing. I have noted the last few years that many young folks seem so much less mature than I would expect. Nice young folks, but so young.

Maybe I am an "old fogey" but I am not sure that is how we want to raise our young.

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